JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan has, in many respects, come out of the financial crisis as an even better financial institution than when it went in. JPM stock has reclaimed the $45 mark — challenging levels not seen since 2007, while rival Citigroup (NYSE:C) has a five-year return of -90%. JPMorgan surpassed Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) last year as the largest U.S. bank by assets, thanks in part to Dimon’s fire-sale purchases of Bear Stearns and WaMu during the financial meltdown.

And with the recent approval from the Federal Reserve, JPMorgan has become a decent income play once again — with a 30-cent dividend paid quarterly for a 2.6% yield at current valuations. That’s the best dividend yield among the biggest banks, and light years ahead of Citi and BofA, which pay a mere penny a quarter.

JPMorgan certainly has risks, as do all financial stocks going forward. Regulations such as the Volcker rule and higher capital requirements will affect earnings. Banks generally make profits on the difference between the rates they pay on deposits and the interest they charge on loans, and low rates mean that spread is squeezed very small right now. And let’s not forget the very real threat of a shock to the balance sheet if unemployment or housing take a turn for the worse.

But JPM has strong operations and clearly has a big enough rainy-day fund according to the Federal Reserve’s recent “stress tests.” When the economy inevitably recovers, this financial stock will be there to capitalize. Revenue is already above fiscal 2008 levels, with earnings forecasts of $4.46 this fiscal year, after EPS of just 84 cents in fiscal 2008.

Be cautious, because the run-up in financials this year gives me a little pause. But an entry around $40 a share seems like a bargain for long-term investors. Shares dipped below that mark briefly for a few periods in 2011 and in early 2012, but never stayed there long. So, don’t wait too long, since this stock seems to have good long-term prospects that will serve you well even if it suffers some short-term volatility.

Fuision-IO

In early June, data storage company Fusion-IO pulled off a highly successful IPO. The company priced its deal at $19, and in its first few weeks of trading shares soared almost 50%.

Why the enthusiasm? Well, because Fusion-io is one of those cloud computing and storage stocks you hear so much about. It’s also a plus that it counts Facebook among its customers. But a big reason for the appeal of FIO is its chief scientist: Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple.

FIO stock kept riding the enthusiasm to a high of over $40 a share before retreating, and is currently trading under $30. I think this is a good opportunity to get in.

This is a growth investment of the first order because Fusion-IO is at the forefront of data management, cloud computing and other high-tech trends. As the world gets more wired, the need for better networking and more efficient Internet operations will become only more pressing.

And Fusion-IO has some of the most innovative technologies in the sector.

Consider that the company reportedly gets about 24% of its revenue from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), running the iconic tech company’s network. Its flash memory technology is a big part of speeding up online response times. It also gets another 25% of its revenue from a little social media company called Facebook.

Fusion-IO is risky, since it’s a relatively new stock without a track record to mine for long-term fundamental trends. However, like Goodyear, if all Fusion-IO ever does is revisit its 52-week high of $41.47, then you’ll be sitting pretty. That’s over 45% upside from here.

Recap of Last Month’s Picks

In March, I offered up four “editor’s picks” for the month: Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Apple. Here’s their performance in the last 30 days since my initial recommendation.

CAT — Down 5.3% in March. This is disappointing because Caterpillar affirmed its full-year outlook and posted a record backlog of orders in early March. But while techs and financials have been getting all the attention, I’m confident CAT will be back in favor very soon, if its earnings report on April 25 follows the strong quarterly results released in January.

INTC — Up 4.5% in March. Intel remains one of the strongest tech stocks, since it’s the No. 1 chipmaker in the world. As tech has rallied strongly, so has INTC — up almost 16% so far in 2012. Look to earnings on April 17.

MSFT — Up 0.6% in March. This sleepy tech stock has stayed under the radar after a strong start to the year. April 19 is when Microsoft reports earnings, so maybe that will be a catalyst for another leg up.

AAPL — Up 10% in March. The reasons are clear: A new iPad is making waves, and Apple reinstated its first dividend since 1995. No firm earnings date is on the books as yet for Apple.

Alcoa is off 2.7% on the month, lagging the market in the last 30 days. However, it’s still up 16% since the initial recommendation to start the year.

Explore the Entire FREE Buy List

You can check in on the performance of my “editor’s picks” buy listportfolio anytime. I will regularly update InvestorPlace.com readers on performance, but you’re always welcome to drop me a line at editor@investorplace.com for direct feedback on any of these investment ideas.